The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-03-17
MADAM, did ycrl heass''
eyes, :" she answered.

you think of me''
ssToo much to dare TO utter It,"
.tImpossible."
ssI assure you''-
ssWin you then permit me to be your
fnterpreterr' Roxandra Smirnof says,
with o little smile just breaking the frozen
pink arch of her mouth.
Ivan. bowed, looking at her with that
COMPREHENSIVE glance which man never
gives to but one woman In his lifetime.
ssYou are kind to permit itp' The smile
breaks into little low ripple OF cool
laughter, more intoxicating to him who
listened than would have been the most
luscious mirth Of the reddest lips Of his
own south land
sstsMell-You :think-.here Is woman
who has been loved, as brothers, friends,
lovers love, by men Of talent, strength
in brief, by men-and not to be loved In
some, fashion Is ,for her new sensation,
from Maich.shewm not dr1s7 baek-no-
rather win she extend to this novelty the
right hand Of welcome; she is charmed
with It'll That is what you soy to your
7 salf., Ivan Ansaldi, and you are correct. I
wish nothing 30 much as that you shall
{ like me-not more than that-with that l
am content. !"
And ]; am not. y II
Nine. Smirnof shrugs her snowy
shoulders.
s.No. Oh, by Heavanr' cries he under
his breath. sssWhat awomanl you arep'
-ls s.What kind, Of woman, then, am IS'
sI. do not know-I do not know-the
\ kind. of woman that Is ut once mans In
4 sniration and his despair-I can think Of
s,only two words Of Dante.s'when I look at
you" >. - e -
s.And those areY"
ssThe eternal pearl. y
tsYour italian said It Of the moon"
ssYes, and I borrow it fors you-for,
. should sin dye, you az :deepia reds those
roses yonder.-should crime blacken you
as somberly as look our starless nights
Still you would to me shine forever white,
immaculate, spotless; you puzzle, you ir-
ritate, you entrance mar'
Roxandra Smirnoff shudders and Ivan
agtoops to gather her fur cape over her.
.sWhy did you think of thats'
sSin-sand1s crimepf
The music, q frisnd's voice, these things
recall Ivan to an ordinary view of the SIT
/ uRti0n. lss .tf5 * A q ~ +is.Rzft Z z
ss.Ah,n he says. .sYou must pardon
me- TO tsn you the truthful stumbled
over q memento Of friend Of mine who
was murdered as I came out tonight, and
Its influence must be haunting me-"
!ssAnd should such mementos rise be-
tWeen you and mes'' murmurs she In q
{ voice whose melted m,lsicalness, was more
like perfume to his senses than sound"
between us, y corects Ivan. "No-
/ and yet, my countrymen are brutally SUI
perstitious, and am one of them"
ssHoW7n she asks dazedly.
stWell,n Ivan Ansaldi leans over the
! high back Of Nine. Smirnoff's chair, his
arms. tnlded, his eyes; bent upon the fair
face upturned.t to question his.
s .erWel, we love each other; that is the
truth, Is It notr'
sssYes;'' she breathes heavily under the
velvet Of her bodice.
Tits a great thing-it is the thing Z
have looked for allmyHfe.
"a t.And j, Roxandra murmurs.
ssYou fill my eyes, MY soul, my senses,
my heart and brain. I must ltdt TO
Yfm pxssr ~ = s
Aslittle crimson scdlor c4eeps into her
parted lips; q little feck Of pink blood
tinges the white Of her cheek.
stAnd, - Ivan says slowly and painfully,
ttthere is something else that I must say
to YOU also. Donot deny me, do not even
look at met Is fate, and with that 1t ib
! best not to disagree. ! say to you good
he leaves her:
he leaves the house Of his friend blind
ly,. and, not stopping to enter "a carriage
rnshes across the city to his own house.
AS be enters the drawing room the dark
cloth covering the statue Of Memory clings
TO his rough strt6ut. With muttered
exclamation he threw himself upon the
lounge.
- He vaguely heard the bells ring out the
hours-two, three. He listened to a dog
bark In the street, the dull sound Of csrl
rage wheels grating on the Ice; voices; q
hull; footsteps-som one without; some
one admitted by a sleepy servant.
- Ansaldi neither turned his head nor
opaned his eyes.
presently6sfelt upon hisbrow touch,
coolIas tie fa1lof dew upon the parched
he did not stir, save that shudder Of
hcalculable pain thrilled him from crown
to heel. ........
r ..It is Ir'E,nprmurs the .voicaof Roxani
sdra Smirno.f. "a go
. know is" lie IepHes still without
moving.
t.Shall aught come between us now
now, when for you I have risked every
thingl Answer. me yes or no-do not
move, and then, ] igo-already / am here
stoo long"
with q motion ofexquisite difference, SO
tender as tc be well nigh idolatrous, Ivan
sAnsaldi took into bis the white hand OF
Roxsndra smirnoft, and, rising, he raised
,it toshis lips ,AHss softer and sWeeter
than incense he gave it, and then his eyes
fenupon the ungloved hand Of the woman I
he loved-her right hand
With a cry OF terror cry like that
which comes from the throat Of some
wounded wild beast-hs sprang back and
flung her from him.
- ssWhat Is it7 Ivan, what is til" Rox-
andra Smirnoff stands erect In the full /
fare Of the many candles.
sssWhat IS its'' echoes the man. 'rWho
are your what are yoni Let me look at
yonl .let me look atyoup'
Z. He reaches forward and takes her head
roughly Between his palms.
$50 you, Ivan catches sat her other
hand and drops It with motion of horror.
!.ssYou are both Of themP
.sWhats whati' ;,